Family Day out

The end of June has come quite timely, as we all managed as a family to get to Burnley and tidy up my mums grave as it has been a long time since we had been there. I was quite surprised to find the grave reasonably tidy. The flowers we planted last year had come and gone, there was no evidence of the wreath that was laid at Christmas, it had probably decomposed. We bought a couple of rose plants which we placed on the grave and they looked really good. It was great to be all together as a family. We took our time to return to the North East via North Yorkshire and a pit stop at the White Bear in Masham (well you have to don't you!).

Now I was brought up in Burnley until the age of 19 when I moved away to college and very soon established myself away from the town. So it is strange to return to a town which has no real affiliation for me. Yes I see the buildings and memoirs flash through my mind of things I did as a child. I note the difference that has been made by inward investment but then I look at the new "University" buildings being built and see the stark contrast to the adjacent area of Stoneyholme and think that somewhere there is an imbalance but then what do I know I only visit the town occasionally. But then you suddenly "see" the buildings that are no longer there and think about the times in your youth. There is no doubt that Burnley is on the up (in my opinion it couldn't have got lower) but there is still a long way to go. It was noticeable looking at the town centre the contrast of the "Council" workers in their shirts and trousers having their lunch alongside the "Chavs" sitting there taking in the rays. I am not being judgmental either but the shirts would go back and do some work, the Chavs would not. I also tended to notice the amount of young girls pushing prams with babies and I jumped to the conclusion that the town must have an horrendous teenage pregnancy rate totally without justification because I didn't know how many of the girls were simply giving their mothers a rest and taking their baby sister or brother out to get the rays. There did seem however an lot of young couples around the place but then statistically I suppose there would be. Now all this seems negative, it isn't supposed to be, as I said who am I to comment on things. Our visit to Homebase introduced us to the most helpful welcoming and chatty checkout girl I have encountered for a long time, made our day!

The great beauty of the town has got to be its surroundings, which to be honest are stunning, the sight of Pendle Hill imposing its reassuring presence over the area is thought provoking and the wonderful countryside all encompassing the town is visually explosive but then I find my mind wandering back to the ordinary people of Burnley and asking how many have actually stepped outside the town in their lifetime, this question I can't answer! In two minutes you can leave the town and are instantly in a different world where the narrow streets and cream painted stone work of the terraces are left behind. I think the real impression of Burnley is a place where things have been constructed but in a Higgldy Piggldy fashion and they don't actually join up. Maybe it is me who remembers the town as a joined up whole where demarcation of buildings was invisible, maybe time will tell. Burnley FC staying up in the Premiership in 2009-10 will really help the town find its status, if only they can do it "Dream the Dream".

On the return journey we whooshed along the M62 across the Peninnes and to the North East via Bedale and back to explosive scenery and as stated above the taste of Theakston!

We rounded the day off with a Chinese take away which went down well with everybody so a good day was held by all!